[Setting: Day 1 of summer vacation.]
“Bode, I’m pretty sure that watching endless Minecraft videos on YouTube counts as video game time and you’ve used all yours up.”
“Mom, it’s Minecraft SCHOOL. As in learning.”
A Mother of the Year-worthy Gift
June 9, 2015 By
I’ve been feeling lukewarm about birthday parties for my kids this year. I’ll only occasionally one to throw over-the-top fetes–sometimes simple is best so with my daughter turning 11, I hinted maybe it was time to forgo the big bash. She was horrified. It turns out you need to give a kid at least a year’s advanced notice because they spend the entire 364 days plotting it.
I finally relented with a casual spa / PJ/ ebelskiver party and she invited 10 of her closest friends. If you haven’t been around tweens, there is a lot of giggling and silliness. The facials hadn’t even started yet and already, her friend (on the left) was covered in whipped cream.
The Spa
We crafted our own natural facial recipes and the girls had a blast giving each other face and shoulder massages before our summer pedicures. Related: I threatened Hadley’s little brother and friend that if they didn’t stop bugging the girls, they’d have to give them all foot massages. Not coincidentally we didn’t see them for the rest of the party.
With the boys out of the picture, we relaxed and focused on breathing techniques as Enya crooned in the background. Though I’ve known most of these girls since they were babies, I could not identify them in a line-up.
Nor would I want to.
My daughter somehow worked it to have two friends massaging her at the same time.
I guess that’s how you roll when you’re the birthday girl.
The Explosive Fail
We made a sub-par attempt at a Diet Coke explosion in the middle of the road (who knew you had to dump all the Mentos in ASAP?)
I’m sure our neighbors thought was a fantastic way to wake up on the first official day of summer.
And some trampoline time.
It looks like a seance but it was some game about their future boyfriends. Heaven help us all.
The Best Birthday Surprise
A huge package had arrived the day before on our doorstep with a cryptic note:
Dear Hadley,
Don’t open until your party.
Love, J.B.
J.B.? Who was J.B.? For 24 hours, Hadley agonized over its contents, huddling with her friends once they arrived at the party. Could it be a secret admirer? An amazing gift that would be the envy of them all?
None of the above. It was a special “gift” I found at ARC Thrift Store and decided to have fun with it. I wrapped it in a beautiful bag, found six boxes in successive sizes and wrapped each in duct tape, to produce one huge present.
She saved it for the very last and her friends were bursting with excitement. “I’m sure it’s gotta be a cell phone,” her friend Kasey proposed. Rest assured, I work in social media and my kids will be the last of their friends to get one.
Suspense grew and finally, she had the final box and the big reveal of just what she’d always wanted: (Drumroll, please)
A Justin Bieber T-shirt.
The room erupted as hilarious Hadley raced around the corner and dumped it in the toilet.
Being the nice mom that I am, I later rescued the rock star, laundered him up squeaky clean and surprised her yet with “J.B.” a.k.a. Justin Bieber on her pillow that night.
Me thinks he will be the gift that keeps on giving (and reappearing) for years to come.
Girl’s Day and Night Out!
June 9, 2015 By
I was recently invited to AILLEA, a new boutique that provides 100 percent safe, non-toxic beauty products so I decided to make an afternoon of it. It was a week before Hadley’s birthday and I asked her if she wanted to have a mom-daughter makeover. As a girl on the cusp of wearing make-up–and in dire need of some skincare advice–she was thrilled. How often do we have a day of pampering?
I was expecting to have a mini-makeover and be done with it but the owner Kathryn opened my eyes to just how harmful and full of parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, endocrine disruptors and other toxic chemicals our make-up and lotions truly are. Talk about a wake-up call!!
AILLEA is located the hippest part of downtown, Larimer Square, and when we walked out of the store that Friday afternoon, we noticed Lincoln had setup a booth.
“Would you like to test-drive the new Lincoln MKZ?”
“What’s the catch?”
“No catch. We want people to experience our new luxury model, fill out a brief survey and we’ll give you a $25 VISA gift card.”
Post-makeover test drive. Notice our glowing skin?
Since we were “yes” girls, we hopped in that Lincoln faster that you can say “Matthew McConaughey” (who drives them in the commercials). It was a simple spin around the block and $25 later, we wondered what we should do with the money. Hadley has never been to the Cheesecake Factory so we blew our spoils there with a ginormous piece of Dulce de Leche Cheesecake and paid it forward with a huge tip for our awesome waitress. Best. Girls. Day. Ever.
Our spoils from Aillea
And it was only just beginning! It was our stake’s annual father-son camp-out for the Aaronic Priesthood Commemoration so Bode and Jamie were heading to the mountains with their buddies. Hadley and I started Girls Day Part II by hiking Matthews Winters with my besties Lisa, Jenn and their daughters.
I had to include that last unflattering shot of Jenn and me because we share the same disturbing expression.
We grabbed dinner at Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers and somehow the talk turned to scary movies. Hadley has never seen one and has been moderately obsessed with “Watcher in the Woods,” a movie that haunted me for years as a kid but is a good “first scary movie” for kids. We decided it was time. Jenn and Sadie (our neighbors) changed into their PJs and met us in our dark basement for Girls Night Part III.
Were they scared? A bit. But Hadley mostly made fun of me for being freaked out by it.
I see Poltergeist in her future. Then again, I’m not watching that again.
School’s Out for Summer!
June 3, 2015 By
And just like that, I have a fourth and sixth grader. This whole elementary school thing is speeding by waaaaaaaaay too fast and I can’t believe Hadley is entering her final year.
One of the nice things about them going to different schools is they have had a slightly different schedule so we’re able to celebrate their start and end dates separately. Bode’s last day was Thursday while Hadley’s was Friday. I made each of them a special breakfast with our hallowed “You Are Special Today” plate and Bode brought up the unthinkable. “MOM, who is going to get the plate next year when we’re at the same school?!”
We ultimately decided Hadley would use it for breakfast because sixth grade is a big year and she’s transferring back to her old school. Bode generously said he’d take it for dinner. If only our biggest problems could always be who gets recognition on their special days!
Bode
Bode has had a wonderful third grade year and pulled off top grades in everything except for one element of writing. As we were pulling together his teacher’s gift, he observed “Mrs. Acosta is my favorite teacher I’ve ever had.”
I replied, “Put that in the note. She’d like to hear that.”
“Well, maybe I should put that she’s my favorite teacher I’ve had so far because there might be some I like more in the future.”
Maybe that’s why his writing grade was lacking.
He usually takes the bus home but I went to school, hoping to catch that initial leap and jump for joy as he celebrated the end of the school year. It didn’t happen. I was talking to my neighbor Meredith and when the bell rang, he didn’t notice me and raced for the bus. “Dude, I’m right here!” He reluctantly came back, posed for a picture with his teacher and begged me to ride the bus home with his buddies one last time. And so I drove home by myself and took that celebratory shot when he got off the bus.
It would appear you take what you can get with fourth graders.
Hadley
Hadley has had a great year despite the school mess. The year isn’t a total loss (well, besides the lack of learning, chaotic environment and the fact most of her closest friends are leaving the school. 
Field Day and Big Time Trampoline Fun Center were fun. Her fifth grade has spent the entire year training for a multi-school Pentathlon that consisted of javelin, sprints, long-distance, discus and Greek wrestling. She came in first in the sprints in her city group and second in long-distance.
Her victim brother will testify just how dominant she is in the wrestling.
Make no mistake: Were it not for her unqualified teacher and interim principal’s refusal to let her transfer classes, we would still be there through eighth grade. My anger and frustration have subsided and I’d been feeling indifferent about pulling her out until my friend sent a video she made for Hadley’s previous teacher, Mrs. Price, before the bottom fell out this year. We had two amazing years with dear friends and a true experiential education as she has flourished in the arts and outdoors. We’ll choose to forget her third year. A few screenshots from the video of Years 1 and 2:
The Great Pumpkin
Mesa Verde National Park Camping Trip
Outdoor classroom
Adventuring at Balcony House
Apple picking + making apple pies
Organic farming camping trip at White Fence Farm
Fireside storytime
Bestie London
Sand Dunes National Park
Her favorite moment from school was summitting the highest dune in North America with only a handful of hearty souls.
The Mama
As for me, I celebrated my final day of freedom the best way I know how: I went hiking on a new-to-me trail, Independence Mountain, and indulged in Country Road Cafe with my friends Debbie and Jennefer.
On Friday, I squealed to Jamie “It’s the last day of school!”
“Yes,” he wryly observed. “Looks like your vacation is over and now the real work begins.”
When you are the definition of old
June 2, 2015 By
As we were hiking up North Cheyenne Canyon in Colorado Springs, I commented to Bode:
“Can you believe your sister is turning 11 tomorrow? Doesn’t that seem old?”
“No, 11 doesn’t seem old. Being 43 seems old.”
Good chat, Son.
3rd Annual Birthday Celebration at The Broadmoor
May 28, 2015 By
This was Hadley’s third birthday we’ve celebrated at The Broadmoor, which means it’s a tradition, right? While my previous trip was a working vacation for my write-up about Broadmoor Outfitters, this one was all relaxation and play.
PLAY
We started with bowling and delicious food at their high-end alley PLAY. Something you should know about the boys: they’re sore losers and were grumpy that Hadley and I started out strong. Of course, we didn’t rub that in one bit.
Everyone had a strike near the end of the game except for Bode. He grabbed Hadley’s jacket and bowling ball and, with it awkwardly tucked under his arm, he chucked the ball down the alley. We tried to stop him…until we realized he had just bowled his first strike. I’m not sure what to make of that other than maybe having her vicariously closer to him was like a security blanket?
Fly Fishing
Usually, we spend a good portion of our day lounging poolside but with Colorado’s rainy weather, we had to get creative. We played a lot of heated Checkers matches in the lobby and teamed up with Broadmoor Outfitters for a fly fishing expedition at the Lake House. This Adirondack-style lodge is adjacent to a scenic lake stocked with carp, rainbow and brown trout on one of the resort’s famous golf courses.
We had only fly fished once before at The Broadmoor’s Ranch at Emerald Valley a couple of years ago so we welcomed our guide Tyler’s expertise. As he was just about to explain how to strip the line to reel in the fish, he got a bite and was able to not only explain but show us how to do it. The guides are just that good. And so are the views. Can you see the deer on the shore just behind Bode?
The fish must have received the memo it was Hadley’s birthday because she was reeling them in like crazy! Jamie and I had quick success as well but then there was poor Bode who couldn’t even get a nibble. We’d have him switch places to where Hadley was finding all the fish and he’d get nothing while Hadley would catch them in his previous spot. With rain clouds about to burst, he’d about reached his breaking point when I uttered my first fisherwoman’s prayer: “Dear Lord, if you’re listening and able, could you please help The Boy catch a fish?”
Within a minute, he caught one hook, line and sinker. Turns out fisherwoman’s prayers really work.
The Others
We were pleased that The Broadmoor opened a game room specifically for Memorial Day weekend and we had a fun playing ping pong, air hockey, bean bag toss and foosball. This photo was supposed to be representative of Hadley and Bode learning to play pool.
But really, it’s all about Jamie’s photobomb.
And even though the Memorial Day carnival was moved indoors due to the weather, the kids had a blast.
Who am I kidding? We all had a blast going down that slide and launching into the pit.
We had a brief window of sunshine on Saturday so we swam.
Or rather, the kids did. It was still a blustery 50 degrees so Jamie and I joined the other lame, fully-clothed parents on the chaises while a small a handful of hearty kids played.
Later that afternoon, we stopped at the resort’s eco-chic eatery Natural Epicurean that features organic food. How often do you have the chance to eat healthy desserts that look like this?
We were so nice that even though Jamie didn’t join us, we ordered an extra treat. P.S. Don’t tell him that.
Believe me, we weren’t lacking in food. One night, we ate at Ristorante Del Lago, the resort’s newish Italian restaurant inspired by a luxurious villa in Lake Como. It was there that I informed Bode “Did you know if you can tie that maraschino cherry stem with our tongue, that means you’ll be a good French kisser?”
He’ll never order a Shirley Temple again.
As we lounged fireside after dinner, the kids played tag with Jamie and roasted s’mores. I am 100 percent grateful every time we’re privy to The Good Life and observed, “I know we’ve had an amazing day but just remember that money doesn’t buy happiness.” Hadley responded: “Could have fooled me.”
Note to self: Save life lessons for when they are not currently in the moment.
The Brunch
The Broadmoor’s brunch is, hands down, our favorite part of every trip with more than 150 enticing choices alongside sculpted ice and live piano music. Jamie ensured he was first in front of what he deemed “the gateway to heaven.”
Now I know what the pearly gates look like. At least there won’t be all the calories in heaven, RIGHT?
We all enjoy the brunch but Hadley LOVES it and eats more than any of us with favorites being the pastries, breads and bananas foster.
This picture is very telling of our brunch experience:
Hadley is in sheer bliss, Bode (my pleaser) is posing but really thinking “hurry up and take the picture so I can get some more food” while Jamie has a mouthful of it.
Hiking
I always wake up at dawn to hike North Cheyenne Cañon by myself and this time, I was so overwhelmed with its forested red-rock beauty (it’s one of my Top 10 Hikes Ever), I did a second trip with the family. The Broadmoor offers a free shuttle to the Starsmore Discovery Center at the mouth of the canyon.
If you’re going to build a nature center, I highly suggest you do it in this beautiful setting.
The Birthday Girl
Hadley’s birthday fell on Memorial Day so she requested a room service breakfast of Belgian waffles and we were happy to oblige.
For presents, we bought her some clothes, a weaving loom, the Maze Runner movie and book series, some drawing paper and sweet Bode gave her a purse he had woven in art class.
I’ve long wanted to climb the Manitou Incline a.k.a. The Holy Grail of Cardio, which gains almost 2,000 feet of elevation over less than 1 mile. Hadley agreed to do it with me and it was to be our day of triumph!! Until it wasn’t. You see, the Incline is one of the most unique and challenging trails in the country, attracting runners, Olympic athletes and cyclists from around the world. By the time we arrived at 10 a.m., the base area was a madhouse. We circled around for 45 minutes trying to find parking before finally driving down the mountain and parking in town. The problem: what comes down must go back up so we had to trek about a mile to even get to the start of the Incline. By then, I could tell Hadley wasn’t doing very well, complaining that her throat hurt.
“Let’s just hike a little bit and see how you’re feeling.”
It was steeeeeeeeep. Could we have done it? Sure. Hadley is in great shape after training for a Pentathlon all year and while I’m not where I was physically at this time last year, I could have toughed it out. But after climbing 1/5 of the way up, she looked miserable. If it wasn’t her birthday, I would have pushed her farther but I’m glad I didn’t–she spent the next day in bed with a cold.
At that moment, I noticed the sun was shining for the first time. “Here’s a plan, Hadley. Why don’t we race back to The Broadmoor, hit the pool, order lunch and strawberry milkshakes before going home?”
If there’s a way to salvage a birthday, that is it.
Adventuring with Broadmoor Outfitters
May 27, 2015 By
For the third year in a row, we were able to return to The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs for Hadley’s birthday. As I was going through my pictures, I realized I never posted about our previous trip–waaaaaaay back in February when I was asked to write a story for their magazine about Broadmoor Outfitters, their onsite outdoor adventure company.
The funny thing is, we had better weather in February than we did over Memorial Day weekend. OK, it’s not that funny. We’ve had a month of non-stop rain, a real rarity in Denver. And though I’d much rather have inclement weather than 100-degree days, I’m ready for my trails to dry out.
During our visit a few months ago, we did it all: Geocaching at The Broadmoor, a snowy hike and geocache up North Cheyenne Cañon, a mountain bike ride down Gold Camp Road, topped off by rock climbing Garden of the Gods.
Geocaching
It started with our leisurely treasure hunt around the grounds….
From there, we drove up North Cheyenne Cañon, grabbed our GPS units and hiked up Gold Camp Road, a former narrow gauged railroad bed that hauled ore from Cripple Creek to Colorado Springs. There were occasional patches of snow but when we crossed North Cheyenne Creek to start hiking the Seven Bridges Trail, I could have sworn we’d passed through an antique wardrobe into a frosty Narnia forest of ice demons, fairies and a snow queen.
We traversed a couple of the hike’s seven bridges before our GPS unit alerted us we were close to our cache…but then the arrow pointed us off-piste. And way up.
“Wait, we’re supposed to ditch the trail and hike straight up this steep slope?” I queried.
Audacious Hadley didn’t wait for the answer as she and our guide Kurt forged up the mountain in knee-deep snow. Bode and I (the more cautious ones) applauded their progress from the trail while Jamie (maybe the smartest of us all) rested on a boulder. 
And yep, that’s my kid in a T-shirt. She’s half-Canadian.
Mountain Biking
From there, we grabbed our mountain bikes. Though the pitch was moderate, the serpentine, mucky road’s precipitous cliffs and snowy patches still thrilled. I nervously barreled through pitch-black Tunnels 1 and 2 and I vowed to have my eyes checked after my blind foray with the dark side. 
At one point, Kurt pulled off the road, stashed his bike and beckoned us to follow him down the Columbine Trail, a route which leads all the way to the Starsmore Discovery Center at the base of North Cheyenne Cañon. We only hiked a couple of minutes but earned the view of a thousand hours of exertion. The canyon was a staggering cacophony of glimmering snow, velvet-green forests and Pikes Peak Granites’ milky and smoky quartz, pink feldspar and black mica.
From our perch, we could see where the mountains met the foothills and plains with The Broadmoor in the epicenter of it all.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is not my outdoor-loving family’s forté but I knew if we were to be successful, it would be with Broadmoor Outfitters. We were given our choice of four main routes and I opted for the easiest with nothing to prove beyond having a positive experience and staying alive. Our guide climbed up and built an anchor off the bolts that are secured into the sandstone, gave us some final safety instructions and Hadley generously volunteered me as the guinea pig. Gingerly, I shouted “on belay” and started climbing.
Unlike North Cheyenne Cañon’s granite, Garden of the God’s blush-colored sandstone felt more forgiving with plenty of ledges to rest and “flakes” to grab onto. It didn’t take long before I summited and dizzy with excitement, I marveled at the expansive red-rock sea that had been created during a geological upheaval along a natural fault line millions of years ago.
The rappel down was my favorite part and I was greeted by a shocked Bode. “You didn’t think I could do it, did you?”
“I gave you about a 50-50 chance.” He looked ill with anxiety. Vertical rock climbing walls are the nemesis of a judicious kid.
Jamie at the summit
Jamie and Hadley easily reached the top but Hadley froze during the rappel and it took a while to coax her down. And then there was Bode. To combat his apprehension, he had been bouldering at the base envisioning himself as the first American Ninja Kid Warrior. When it was his turn, he tore up and down faster than anyone and was dumbfounded when his feet touched down.
I see a future for him on Mount Midoriyama.
Valentine’s Day Weekend
It was Valentine’s Day and after a full day playing in the outdoors, we were thrilled to have our first 5-star dining experience at The Broadmoor’s Penrose Room. The whole evening is a blur–from the moment we stepped off the elevator and Bode exclaimed, “this is faaaaaaancy,” to the Caesar salad they prepped right at our table to dancing to a live band with mortified Bode (Hadley was equally embarrassed to be swung around with her father) and being so proud of them for their good manners.
Of course, it helped that we had schooled them for a month about proper etiquette, threatening any lapse would be not “Penrose Worthy.”
I think it’s important to expose the kids to different beliefs so we opted to go to a non-denominational service at the Pauline Memorial Chapel located on property. The founder’s wife Julie Penrose oversaw its construction in 1919 and between the considerable collection of religious art and artifacts from Europe, dramatic bell tower and high high buttressed walls, it reminded me of the early Christian basilicas. It was such a beautiful, moving experience!
The Broadmoor’s famous brunch wasn’t too bad, either. Unless you’ve spent the entire weekend stuffing your face with gourmet food.
At one point, Bode put down his fork, let out a big sigh and said, “I’m not full but my mouth is tired from having so much delicious food in it.”
First World Problems at The Broadmoor.
sfadfafd
Yeah, what Bode said!
May 19, 2015 By
In our Sunday School class at church, our teacher shared a quote from Elder Marvin J. Ashton about the scribes and Pharisees who had brought before the Savior a woman taken in adultery. Their purpose was not to show love for either the woman or the Savior but to embarrass and trick Jesus…Jesus did not condone adultery but He chose to teach with love–to show the scribes and the Pharisees the need of serving the individual for her best good to show the destructive forces of trickery and embarrassment.
We were recently cleaning up from dinner and I asked Hadley to sweep the floor. She started complaining about one piece of cereal that was stuck to the floor–cereal that only Bode eats. “He’s soooooooo messy!!!” she complained.
My children are created equal as to their level of slobbery. Of course, both have varying degrees depending upon the situations but without fail, Hadley’s corner of the diner table is always the messiest.
I looked at her incredulously and quoted. “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
They both stared at me, dumbfounded. Bode was the first to break the silence.
“I don’t know what that means but I’m going with Mom.”
The ultimate pampering…and dose of reality
May 18, 2015 By
I’m not in the practice of getting pampered so when I do, it is that much more special. And believe me when I tell you I received the ultimate services and treatments at Matthew Morris Salon and Skincare’s new RiNo “River North” location…which made my crash to reality that much greater.
But first, allow me to indulge you with the details of this 9-year-old salon’s second location in RiNo (River North). This area north of downtown defines “hip” with creative businesses, funky art galleries and trendy restaurants housed in former warehouses tagged in “metropolitan art.” Just don’t call it graffiti because you’ll show you’ll show how unhip you are.
Enter: Little ‘ol unglamorous me. CLICK TO KEEP READING
Blood Sport a.k.a. Four Square
May 12, 2015 By
Bode has been begging me to have lunch with him in the cafeteria for a few weeks. I don’t care how busy you are, when your sweet third grader is is proud enough to share you with his buddies, you go.
I adore these friends of his. He’s been lucky enough to have three of his besties–Nicky, Kyler and Curtis–in his class. They practically fell over themselves trying to impress me and hung onto my every word as if I was the funniest woman on earth. Too bad they’re only a few decades too young; why couldn’t boys have been so enamored by me when I was their age? Oh yeah. It was because I was too busy showing them up.
All these boys are obsessed with Four Square. I don’t wanna brag but I was a pretty ferocious Four Squarer in my youth so after lunch, I followed them to the playground where the showdown began.
Competition isn’t the same as an adult. As a kid, it’s raw, pure and exhilaration in its purest form as you feel like you can conquer the world.
At a church activity a couple of weeks ago, I played volleyball with a group of kids and some killer Bolivians. We’d played wallyball a few weeks prior and had a blast! We were fierce but kept it fun for the kids so I chuckled when my friend Jenny came up to me the next day at church and said her husband had asked who I was, saying “She’s really competitive.” Little did he know I was placing nice.
There were no niceties on that playground for Four Square. Pretty much every single boy from third grade was in on the action and these kids were incredibly good. Bode was one of the best. With a July birthday, he’s one of the youngest and smallest but he’s smart and fast. Plus, he’s always practicing at home.
I fueled a childhood’s worth of adrenaline into that game and came out on top over and over again, reigning in the Head Square many rounds over. Just think: being beaten by not only a girl, but a MOM! My friend Julie later told me how good her son Nicky said I was and that she wanted to watch next time I played. The other kids weren’t nearly as impressed. The next day when I dropped Bode off in his class, I smack-talked ‘em all. The smiles were gone.
Me thinks it will be a while before they invite me back.
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. 